I didn't know what a cattle monger person was about, or anything. I don't know. I sit here and I've been feeling for a long time. There's not little things to understand. You go within the yard through that shop. Well, good evening, everyone. It's a joy to be back here tonight in Port Glenone. It's not too long ago since I was here. I think it was two months ago in deputation. So it's nice to be back with you. Enjoyed the fellowship the last time, and we trust we'll know the Lord's help again as we consider His Word and worship Him and meet together in the throne of grace in prayer. We're going to commence our worship this evening by singing together the hymn 545, Hymn 545, page 396. Marching on in the light of God. Marching on, I'm marching on. Up the path that the master trod. Marching, marching on. The hymn 545, page 396. We'll stand together after the introduction. Let's all stand to sing. Marching on in the light of God. Marching on, I'm marching on. Upward path that the Master trod. Marching, marching on. A robe of white, a crown of gold, A harp, a home, a mansion fair, A victor's hand, a joy untold, Are mine when I get there. For Jesus is my Savior, He's washed my sins away Paid the debt on Calvary's my debt I'm happy in this dying love, singing all the day I'm living, yes, I'm living in the fight, Ted Marching on through the hosts of sin Marching on, I'm marching on Victory's mine while I've Christ within Marching, marching on A robe of white, a crown of gold, A heart, a home, a mansion fair, A victor's path, a joy untold, Are mine when I get there. For Jesus is my Saviour He's washed my sins away Paid the debt on Calvary's my debt I'm happy in His dying love Singing all the day I'm living, yes, I'm living in the fight Marching on while the world lay still, Marching on, I'm marching on. Perfect love casteth out all fear, Marching, marching on. A crown of gold, a heart, a home, a mansion fair. A victor's path, a joy untold, are mine when I get there. For Jesus is my Saviour, He's washed my sins away. Calvary's my ten I'm happy in its dying love Singing all the day I'm living, yes I'm living in the fighting Marching on in the Spirit's might, Marching on, I'm marching on, More than conqueror in every fight, Marching, marching on. A robe of white, a crown of gold, A heart, a home, a mansion fair, A victor's palm, a joy untold, Are mine when I get there. For Jesus is my Saviour, He's washed my sins away In the den on Calvary's mountain I'm happy in His dying love, singing all the day I'm living, yes, I'm living in the fire Marching on to the realms above, Marching on and marching on, There to sing of redeeming grace. Marching, marching on A robe of white, a crown of gold A heart, a home, a mansion fair A victor's palm, a joy untold Are mine when I get there For Jesus is my Saviour, He's washed my sins away. Pray the dead on Calvary's mountain, I'm happy in His dying love, Singing all the days, I'm living, yes, I'm living in the fountain. Amen. That was great singing. Let us unite our hearts together in prayer. Let us seek the Lord's face as we come to worship Him and pray unto Him. We need His presence this evening, so let us pray that the Lord would indeed visit us and grant help even this evening. Let us pray together. Father in heaven, we thank Thee this evening that we can join together in worship in Thy house. We thank Thee, Lord, for the joy and the blessings that it is to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ. We've already sang together the list of blessings in that chorus. No, Lord, we can truly say that we are a blessed people that has blessed us abundantly in Christ Jesus. Lord, we thank Thee, Lord, that spiritually speaking, we're no longer in poverty. We're no longer poor and needy beggars. But praise God, you've lifted us up out of that, and thou hast put us on the rock Christ Jesus. Thou hast made us rich in Him, rich in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Thou hast blessed us with spiritual blessings. Thou hast given us life eternal through our Lord Jesus Christ. And Lord, we rejoice to know that thou hast prepared a place for us, a place that has been reserved for us before the foundations of the world. O God, we thank thee that even though we may not be physically rich, we thank thee, Lord, we're rich in Christ. And Lord, what better riches to have than that, that which is infinite and eternal in value, which shall never fade away, which shall never be destroyed. Oh Lord, the things of time will fade away. They will wear away. They will be burned up. But Lord, we thank Thee, Lord, that in Christ we shall be saved. We shall be preserved from the fire. We shall be those brands for the burning rescued through the power of the gospel. Lord, we thank Thee, Lord, for our position and our standing in Christ. And Lord, as we think of that glorious standing, we pray that, Lord, Thou wouldst make us faithful and valiant soldiers of the cross, Lord, we pray that, Lord, thou wouldst take away the sleepiness in our walk with God. Make us, Lord, militant soldiers of Christ, those that would seek to go on and forward for thee. Lord, we fear even in this day and age where it seems as though the church is sleeping as Paisley once preached, sleeping in a big bedroom, and they're sleeping and not wanting to be wakened up. O Lord, save us from sleepiness. Grant us, Lord, that we be awakened and quickened through the Word of God and through the Holy Spirit. We pray that, Lord, thou wouldst help us as we worship thee this morning. We pray for the Spirit of God to outpour himself upon us tonight. that, Lord, thou be filled with the Holy Ghost, and even the hearer tonight would be stirred up in their hearts and souls and filled with the Holy Ghost. We pray that tonight thou wouldst give us help, Lord, to cast our burdens upon thee, since thy does care for us. Help us, Lord, in our prayers to even touch the very throne of heaven with our petitions. O God, help us to pray. Teach us to pray. Help us, Lord, to be ever at our knees. O Lord, forgive us the times we feel to pray. Forgive us the times in which we feel, as it were, that there's no point in praying. O Lord, help us, Lord, to be ever at our knees, to be those that will cry unto Thee. O Lord, we pray for Thy help tonight and for a blessed time tonight. We pray that, Lord, our hearts will be filled with joy and thrill. even as we pray unto Thee, that we would know our burdens lifted in the place of prayer. O God, we pray, grant us a great time tonight around Thy Word, and even in the place of prayer, look to Thee to come and to visit us. We think of those as well which are unwell and sick, and they decide unable to be with us. We pray for them, that Lord, thou'dst grant them that healing touch. Lord, we know that their hearts desire would be to be among us. in the place of prayer. We pray for thy spirit to be their portion, and that, Lord, thou would strengthen them and lift them up from their illness and infirmity. Lord, we pray for even the minister and his family of this congregation. We pray for Mr. Stewart, that, Lord, thou would bless him in his time of holiday. That, Lord, I pray that thou would send him back to Portlanone in fire for God, refreshed in mind and body and soul. And, Lord, we do pray that, Lord, in the days to come, that we would hear of good news in this part of the vineyard of Portlanone of sinners getting saved. O Lord, I pray, fill this church up with sinners. Fill them up, Lord, with them getting saved, we pray. We pray that, Lord, we'd be able to see days of blessing, days of reviving, days of great awakening. O Lord, how we need it. O Lord, come and visit us, we pray. Visit us now as we come to worship thee. We ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. We're going to take up our hymn books again to sing the hymn 555. 555, page 400. When Israel out of bondage came, a sea before them lay. The Lord reached down his mighty hand. Praise God, he rolled the sea away. Hymn 555, page 400. We'll stand together after the introduction. Let's all stand to our feet. When Israel, out of bondage, came as sea before them lay, the Lord reached out His mighty hand and rolled the sea away. Then forward still, tis Jehovah's will, Though the billow's dust shine spread. With the concrete tread we will push ahead, We'll roll the sea away. Before me was the sea of sin, So great I feared to pray. My heart's desire the Savior read, And rolled the sea away. Then forward still tends Jehovah's will, Though the billows does shine spray. With the conqu'ring tread we will push ahead, He'll roll the sea away. When sorrows dark like stormy waves Were dodging o'er my way, Again the Lord in mercy came And rolled the sea away. Then forward still, tis Jehovah's will, Though the billows not shine, With a concrete trap we will push ahead He'll roll the sea away And when I reach the sea of death, for needed grace I'll pray. I know the Lord will quickly come and roll the sea away. Then forward still, tis Jehovah's will, Though the billows dash and spray, With the conqu'ring tread we will push ahead, He'll roll the sea away. Amen. Let us take up our Bibles at this stage to turn to the book of Philippians, in the chapter 3. Philippians chapter 3, we'll take the time this evening to read this chapter through. Philippians chapter 3 and the verse 1. The Word of the Lord reads, Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me, indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision, for we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit. and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh, if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more circumcise the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law of Pharisee, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, touching the righteousness, which is in the law blameless. But what things were gained to me, those I count at loss for Christ? Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and to count them but done, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded. And if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example. For many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. For our conversation is in heaven. And whence also ye look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ? Who shall change your foul body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body? according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Amen. We know God will bless the reading of his word tonight. Let's just take just a brief moment in prayer. We need the Lord's help as we come to consider God's word tonight. So let us pray that the Lord would help, that the Lord would speak to us. So let us pray together. Father in heaven, we thank Thee for Thy help in the worship thus far tonight. And Lord, we come to Thee asking Thee for Thy help and Thy hand to be upon us as we come to the preaching of the Word of God. Lord, I acknowledge my need of Thee. I acknowledge, Lord, in and of myself my weakness and my inability. And so, God, I pray tonight that Thou would fill me with the Holy Spirit. Fill me to overflow, I pray of Thee. Give me the words that I am to speak. Give me liberty, give me help, give me might and power and enablement to preach the Word of God tonight. We pray that help would also be given to the hearer tonight. Thou knowest, Lord, their hearts and even everything they go through, things that perhaps might easily distract them from the hearing of the Word of God, through circumstances or whatever it might be. We pray for thy help to be given to both preacher and hearer alike tonight. O Lord, I pray, Presence thyself with us. Do us good. Grant, Lord, tonight that there would be a word and season for our hearts. Grant, Lord, we would not miss out the blessing to receive some fruit from thy word tonight. Lord, we pray that, Lord, we would not be ignorant and Maybe perhaps the Word is for someone tonight, but yet perhaps out of ignorance they will shun it away and disregard it. Lord, forbid that, I pray. And grant that, Lord, we would all give a tint of ear to the Word of God, and grant, Lord, that we would be changed as a result of tonight's meeting. O Lord, come, help, I pray, and do us good. In Jesus' precious name we ask these things. Amen. Amen. In this chapter of Philippians, Paul comes to his final point in what he wants to say to the saints which are in Philippi. And in this chapter, at the very commencement, he warns against false teachers. In verse 2, he gives a threefold beware in regards to false teachers. He says, beware of dogs. In other words, men with impure minds. Beware of evil workers, that is, those that may appear as excellent teachers, but within their heart, they have their own agenda in mind. Beware of the concision, that is, those who come to cut down, mutilate, and destroy the work of God. In this threefold warning, Paul is referring to one group of people, and that is the Judaizers. They were one of the greatest threats of the church at that time. We read of them coming to ruin and spoil the churches in Galatia. If you take time to read that book, and even the book of Hebrews was written to confine their teachings and to show forth the work is done through Christ. You see, they believe what many false religions believe, that salvation and forgiveness is earned through personal merit. It is through self and not by grace, through faith in Christ. We preach in these pulpits that salvation is off the Lord. It is by grace you're saved, through faith, in faith in Christ alone. I like what C.H. Spurgeon said one time. He says, the general religion of mankind is due, but the religion of a true Christian is done. Because, thank God, tonight the work is done tonight. Because that is what Christ came to do. He came to complete the work. He came to accomplish redemption for us. Paul tells them in Philippi to beware of them, and to beware the Judaizers, and to remember salvation is of the Lord. That is why he goes on to say in the verses 5 to 7 that if anyone could boast of personal merit, it was him. There he says, circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law, a Pharisee, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless. But what things were gained to me? Those I count at loss for Christ. He even goes on to say in verse eight, despite the things that he could boast of, he could say, ye doubtless, I count all things but loss. for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord. There he beholds Christ as is everything. One point of his life he could have boasted of his upbringing, of all of his achievements that he had wrought by personal merit, but here he says he counts them but done, he counts them but lost, because he beheld the glory of Christ. He beheld Jehovah saken you, the Lord our righteousness. And in verse 10, we can see that Paul's everything was to know Christ, and to know of Christ's fullness. Paul's life was surrendered to Christ so that he would be conformed to Christ's death, the one who laid himself down totally and completely for our redemption, who laid his life down to the Father's will. Paul's glory, or rather his aim, was not in self-glorification. It was not in personal gain. It was in Christ and His glory. And as I think of such a thing, I wonder, where is our heart at tonight? Is it the case that tonight we're focused in our own personal achievements, or are we focused in the glory of God? Do we have an eye to the glory of God? Do we consider Him? Do we put Him first? What is our goal? What is our mark? It is the verse 14 that I want us to take as our text this evening. And I want us to consider tonight the thought of pressing on. Pressing on. Firstly, I want us to note that this is what the Christian life consists of. The Christian life consists of pressing on. We can look through Paul's life as a believer of Jesus Christ. It consisted of pressing on. In our text, Paul says, I press toward the mark. When we bear in mind the context, as we've noted in our introduction, Paul desires to know more of Christ. He desires to be conformed more and more after the image of Christ. He says in verse 10, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death. Could it be perhaps today that we've lost something of this wonder? of this beauty, of this glory, the glory of Christ? Have we lost sight of those things in Christ? Are we as believers pressing on to love and to know more and more and more of Christ? Paul presses on to know more of Christ because he loved Him. He was his everything. He counts everything, all that the world offers, and all that he could achieve in this world as nothing, as dung, so that he may win Christ, so that Christ would be his everything, and so that he would know more of Christ in all of his fullness. The word press in our text means to run, to flee, and to pursue. We see here in our text that Paul, he is saying that he is pressing, he is pursuing, he is running, and he is fleeing to Christ. By doing so, Paul, he is running away from sin, away from the world, away from all that attracts the natural man in his flesh, and he's running to Christ. Paul, in his conversion, ran away from sin and his old life, that life that he once lived. And this is what repentance is, is it not? The turning away from sin and a running to Christ to rest upon his finished work, to rest entirely in what he has come to accomplish for our souls. You can see from the meaning of the word press that the Christian life is a life that requires toil, it requires effort, it requires that we put effort in our Christian walk. I think we should note the illustrations that Paul makes about a Christian. Paul makes an illustration of a runner. I suppose that is what is implied here in our text. And he also mentions that in one of the letters of Corinthians. And when we think of a runner, it requires discipline, it requires dedication and determination to be a professional runner. We know a professional runner's not for everyone. We cannot flick our hand and say that we're going to be a professional runner. It takes commitment, it takes effort, it takes dedication to do so. Also, Paul, he describes a Christian as a soldier, which again requires discipline, dedication, and determination. It requires physically demanding training, as does that of a runner as well. And in these two illustrations that Paul uses to describe a Christian, we can observe that the soldier and the runner are not individuals who are lazy. They're not those that take the day off. They're not those that bluff in their work. They work hard to maintain high standards and high performances. They daily work hard to keep it all up. And so the Christian needs to have discipline, dedication, and determination to press on for God, to press on through our personal walk with God. to guard our times with God, our personal times, our quiet times with God, spending time with God in His Word, spending time with God in prayer. We should have discipline, dedication, and determination in seeking to win others for Christ, bringing them in under the sound of the gospel of Jesus Christ, doing so until you see their souls won for Christ. We should have discipline, dedication, and determination to live an effective life for Christ, a life that is separate for Christ, a life that will not follow the ways of the world and the ways of sin. One of the things that grieved me most is whenever a Christian proves himself to be a hypocrite. And whenever you think of a hypocrite, it is a believer which has failed to press on for God. And because of their hypocrisy, they become stumbling blocks to the unconverted. I'm sure you've heard it said of the unconverted, that I'm more of a Christian than so-and-so. I'm more of a Christian than the man across the road from me. They use it sadly as an excuse not to come to church, not to hear the gospel, but to reject the gospel. And I know we're not perfect, dear believer. There are times in our lives where hypocrisy creeps in to our lives, and many times I feel like I'm the biggest hypocrite at times. But regardless of the fact that we are prone to sin, that we're prone to failure, that we're prone to let ourselves down and God down, what are we to do? What is the answer? The answer is that we are to continue to press on for the faith. We're in a spiritual warfare, and as Christians, we have to battle, we have to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered unto the saints. We are to contend against sin. We are to contend against our besetting sins. We are to run away, we are to press on, and to run away from sin, from our besetting sins, and keep pressing on to Christ. Let us press on, then never despair. Live above failing victories there. Jesus can keep us so near to him that never more our faith shall grow dim. May God save us from hypocrisy and from being a stumbling block to other individuals. Then I want us to notice that the Christian is to keep on pressing on. The Christian is to keep on pressing on. And we may know these truths and the importance to keep on pressing on, but nevertheless, in our lives, we know that there are real hindrances, there are real barriers, there are real obstacles that we have to overcome. There are things that so easily can weigh us down as we seek to press on for Christ. Of course, we've mentioned some of them already, such as our besetting sins, and even ourselves can be a hindrance. But I want us to notice particularly one weight that slows down many believers, a weight that I believe also had an effect to Paul because he mentions it here in our reading. It's the heavy weight of our shameful past. The heavy weight of our shameful past. I'm sure Paul was one who particularly struggled with his past. In verse 6, we read of his seal, that concerning seal, he persecuted the church. In Acts chapter 8, we read of Paul, he was in that portion called Saul, and there he witnesses the martyrdom of Stephen. And in the first verse of Acts chapter 8, we read that Saul was consenting unto his death, to Stephen's death. What that means is that Saul, he was pleased with it. He thought well of it. He thought good of it. He thought it honored the Lord, the fact that Stephen was killed for the faith. He doesn't see it as something that was horrible, something that was tragic. He thought well of it. Such was his heart in his unconverted years. It's a very violent scene that occurred there. The council and the high priest, they ran upon Stephen, and after his clear exposition of the gospel through the Old Testament, they cast him out of the city, and they stoned Stephen to death. Can I just say as a side note, if you think about the church, and we're still continuing on to think about pressing on when I say this, think about the church at that time, and what a blow that was to see a man that had such a great reputation in the church. We read in Acts chapter six at the end of it that he was a man full of faith, a man full of the Holy Ghost, and yet they see this man that had so much potential stoned and martyred for the faith. What's the church's response to that? Did they throw up their hands and say, well, if it happened to him, it's going to happen to us. It's time to close down and to be silent. No, they pressed on. Because as a result of this, the gospel then spread to Judea and Samaria as Christ exhorted them to do so in the first chapter of Acts. The church pressed on despite the fierce face of persecution. But to draw our minds back again to Saul, we read in Acts 9, verse 1, that he was breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. We don't know how many faced Saul's wrath and seal, but we know for certain that he was renowned for it. In fact, whenever you look at the first 13 of Acts 9, we have Ananias, he's commanded of the Lord to go to Saul after Saul had that tremendous encounter with Christ. Ananias was sent to go and to make him to see. But Ananias, he says to the Lord in response to the command in the first 13 of Acts 9, Lord, I have heard by many of this man how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem. He had heard by many people of this man. He was a renowned man for it. He was known for this, for persecuting the church, It's hard to believe that this very man would be mightily used of God. He'd be a man that would plant churches, see souls saved. But I'm sure that Paul was haunted by his past. He may remember the pleadings, the cries, even the screams of men and women and children as he laid his hands upon them. He may remember those who cried and pleaded at his feet to have mercy, but yet Saul, out of his seal, counted it to have honored the Lord, to have slaughtered and persecuted the believers. I'm sure the words of Christ must have smote him whenever Christ was saying to Saul that the fact that he persecuted the believers, he was also persecuting Christ. See, Christ identifies with his people. And with that very thought, as Paul heard those words and realized that all the things that he had done to God's people, he realized ultimately he had done so to Christ. It's a solemn truth. We know tonight that the world and the devil doesn't forget about our past. They love to remind us of our shameful past, the ills that we have done, those ills in which God has forgiven us for. And very often the devil particularly can give us a hard time and make us even to think that God has not forgiven us of our sins, forgiven us of the most gruesome of sins. Make us believe as though God has not removed the guilt over the sin. The devil can very easily make us feel guilty and bring to our remembrance the sins of the past. But what are we to do again? We must press on to Christ. We must flee to Christ. We must pour out our hearts before Him. We need to share openly and honestly before the Lord how the devil is dealing with us, bringing to remembrance the sins of the past, the sins that have been covered by the blood of Christ. I think that's sometimes something we forget about. the importance of being honest with the Lord, praying honestly to Him, saying to the Lord through such situations that I believe, Lord, You've forgiven me my sins, but the devil is bringing it to my remembrance. Lord, I pray, assure me that Thou has forgiven me all my sins. Reassure my troubled heart. I think that's something that we need to be reminded of daily is that we need to be honest with the Lord. We can go through the formalities of prayer. We can bring forth the same petitions over and over again, and yet we forget to be honest with the Lord of what's going on in our hearts. As I was thinking about that, I think about the many times that perhaps we might feel like we don't want to pray. And I think that's something that should be brought to the Lord, to say openly and honestly to the Lord, Lord, I just don't feel like praying, but Lord, give me a burden to pray. Help me to pray. And I've seen me pray that prayer many times, and I could see the Lord wondrously answering that prayer, giving me a burden to pray, and even giving me liberty to pray, as if I could not let God go in prayer. We need to be honest before the Lord. And we must not also go about the business of confessing sins that God has already forgiven. First thing we do in doing that, we make God a liar because we doubt the power of the blood of Christ that washes away our sins. I'm sure you might know this quote well. I hear the accuser roar of ills that I have done. I know them well and thousands more. Jehovah findeth none. Though the restless foe accuses, sins recounting like a flood, every charge our God refuses, Christ is answered with his blood. Oh, may the Lord give us a heart like Paul, who says in the first 13 of Philippians 3, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth onto those things which are before. The only cure to guilt is forgiveness. And forgiveness is the only way whereby we can reach forward when we know and are assured that the Lord has forgiven us. And as God has forgiven and forgotten our shameful past, so must we, so that we can then press forward Yes, we are to learn from it, but we are never to live in our past. May we do in the words of Hebrews 12 verses 1 to 3, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience or endurance the race that is set before us, looking on to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction, disobedience, and rebellion of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Let us be those that consider and look on to Christ, for that is where we get the strength and the grace to keep pressing on. Then finally, I want us to consider the Christian is to press on until the very end. Because in our text, Paul brings to us the end goal. He says there about the prize. He says, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. And can we not see through that that Paul regards Christ as his everything? He sees him at the finishing line of his life. That is the ultimate prize. to be in absolute union with Him, where our union with Christ will be complete. Because as of now, our union is not complete yet. Our redemption is not complete yet. Yes, within our hearts and within our souls, we've been washed by the blood of the Lamb. Even Paul, he makes mention of the beginning of our walk. He says there, the high calling of God. That is the high and heavenly and holy call of God. That is the effectual call. That is the call we heard when the gospel was preached to us, and we accepted the gospel. We accepted Christ as our Savior. But yet, whenever we called on God, the Lord washed our soul pure and clean. That is why when we die, Our bodies will be buried in the ground, but our soul will go straight to heaven because it's right, because it's been washed in the blood of the Lamb. It has the righteousness of Christ, but our bodies, our bodies are corrupted in sin. Even verse 21 of that same chapter teaches us that our bodies are file. He says in verse 21, who shall change our file body? That is the condition of our body now. It is filed before the Lord. That is why it will die and be buried under the corruption of sin. But we know the day will come when the Lord shall return. And in that blessed hour, that holy hour, that glorious hour, He will complete the work of redemption. He will complete the work within our lives whereby our whole man will be united to Christ. Because even while our soul will be with Christ and our body in the earth, when the Lord will return, our bodies will be glorified. The chains of sin that hold our body in the grave will be broken free. And our whole man, our body, our soul, shall be forever free from sin. And sin shall no longer have a dark hold on our life. I was reading this morning in Revelation 21, And there we have John, he says at the opening verse, and I saw a new heaven and a new earth. And he even goes on to bring the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. And what does he say to John? It is done. Behold, I make all things new. Praise the Lord who makes all things new. He shall fashion our bodies like his glorious body. That is the price. Is this not worth pressing on toward, dear believer, the high calling of God, that day in which the Lord shall return and we shall stand before Him? May we be those that were faithful and true to God. May we be those that laid aside every weight and we pressed on for God. We pressed on in our day and age. We pressed on for our generation. Oh, may the Lord help us to be those who will press on. Press on to the very end. Press on until the Lord says of us, well done. Well done, my good and faithful servant. May the Lord grant us that grace to be those that will press on and those that will be good and faithful servants. I pray the Lord will bless this word to our hearts this evening. We'll ask our brother, Willie, to come and to bring the announcements for us, please. Thank you. We thank you again for coming along this evening. Whether you're in the church or in the car park or listening in, we want to welcome all. this evening, Mr. Christopher Orr. Our brother is entering in now to his third year of studies. He's from our great Nabi Church. And of course, I'm sure when you've seen him, you know he's been with us in the past. And we want to thank our brother indeed for that word to our hearts tonight. It has certainly been very good counsel to us. It's been a very practical word, even for our daily living. And again, even as we come to prayer, we will meditate and think on that word. So we just want to thank our brother for preparing that word for us this evening. And as we get to prayer now, we want to remember the speaker on the Lord's Day, Mr. Andrew Erwin, again, another student. And it is good to have had these students as a session. We have made a point of having the students along during the Reverend Stewart's break. We feel that it's good for the congregation to get to know these men because we need to be upholding them at the throne of grace. And again, we have another student then on the Lord's Day, DV, Mr. Andrew Erwin. Could you also remember the early morning prayer meeting? I know this doesn't suit everyone, but if you can get along, that would be a good encouragement to us. I also want to be thankful for the help given last Sabbath day. You know, we pray, we meet, we pray, and the Lord answers prayer, even for Mr. Eccles, last Sabbath day. Again, it was a tremendous day in the Lord's house, and we want to acknowledge that. In our open air service, also, there was great help given, and a good presence of the Lord, and we're thankful, and we need to be thankful, even as the Reverend Stewart spoke to us before he left about being thankful and how true this is. I want to continue in prayer also for our holiday Bible club. A couple of weeks I'll bring this very near, so we want to really do remembering this before the Lord, and of course our gospel campaign, which will be taking place in November. People, we need the Lord to be in these meetings. And as we follow God's word, there's only one way that this is going to come to pass. And so we want to, again, make these a matter of prayer, even in the days that lie ahead. And remember, again, those that need special prayer, those in our congregation, Some go through medical procedures. We think of loved ones cared for others, and we just want to remember them all. You're well aware of them, and we leave that with you. Also, continue to remember our minister. Again, even as he is on holiday, I'm sure he'll be getting down soon now to preparing the word again for coming back amongst us, and we need to uphold him at the place of prayer. And something that we all can do is to say amen when some brother or sister finishes in prayer. You know, the word amen is a very scriptural word. It literally means, so let it be. It's a way of expressing a strong agreement with what has been prayed. You know, we are one body here, one body in Christ. We are the church. It's just a means of cementing us all together and it's a very good practice and I would just want to leave it with you and don't be afraid to say it. Amen. It's a very good scriptural term. So we'll get to prayer. We're going to ask our brother Roy Ballester, good to have Roy with us again, and we'll ask him to lead us in prayer. Thank you.